


anakin skywalker, jedi youngling

by houseofskywalker



Series: childhood friends [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Friendship, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, and actually makes some friends, basically Ani gets a semi normal childhood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-05
Updated: 2018-03-04
Packaged: 2019-03-27 04:49:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13873488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/houseofskywalker/pseuds/houseofskywalker
Summary: Yoda allows Obi-Wan to teach Anakin, but on one condition: he may only take him on as his Padawan once he passes his Initiate trials.





	anakin skywalker, jedi youngling

**Author's Note:**

> Whelp, another fic. This is part of an au which takes elements from canon, legends, and my own imagination. The basic premise pretty much is: what if Anakin had friends? And even wilder, what if Obi-Wan did too?

Obi-Wan remained kneeling, not uttering a word. His eyes followed the Grandmaster’s journey from one end of the room to the other in rapt attention.

“Confer on you, the level of Jedi Knight, the Council does.”

His mouth threatened to rip into a wide grin, but using all his Jedi willpower, Obi-Wan kept it to a modest smile. A Knight! His heart still ached at his Master’s passing but this, _this_ … He had gotten it because of his slaying of that demon. Not because Qui-Gon was tired of him, but because of _him_ , Obi-Wan, because of his own achievements. It was almost healing. It was—

Yoda’s stick slammed on the ground.

“But! Agree with your taking this boy as your Padawan Learner, _I do not!”_

His smile dropped. “Qui-Gon believed in him!”

“The Chosen One, the boy may be. Nevertheless,” Yoda nudged Obi-Wan to look him straight in the eye, to comprehend the seriousness of the matter, “grave danger I fear in his training.”

But Obi-Wan wasn’t about to back down. “Master Yoda, I gave Qui-Gon my _word._ I will train Anakin!” Yoda snorted dismissively, but he wasn’t finished. “Without the approval of the Council, if I must.”

There was a palpable silence. Yoda’s intelligent eyes bore into him, as if he wished to see inside his soul. The Grandmaster had met countless Padawans in all his nine-hundred years of existence, and yet he continued to be perplexed by this one in particular. A proper Jedi, and yet just as defiant as his Master. And now… the Sithkiller. He was not to be crossed. He would keep his word. He would leave with the boy, if necessary.

Yoda could not have that.

“Very well. Train… Anakin, you shall. In the future.”

“T-The future?” sputtered Obi-Wan.

The Grandmaster smugly resumed his pacing. “Unprecedented, this situation is. Experience, you must need.” He poked Obi-Wan in the stomach with his stick. “Grieving for your Master, you still are. Not ideal for a Padawan, no!”

“So… if not now, then when? Anakin is far too old to be a Jedi, you said it yourself, Master Yoda.”

“Far too old, far too young, he is. Undertake the Initiate trials, he must.”

“Wait, you want to put Anakin with the _younglings_?”

“Make you promise to teach the boy, he did. _When_ exactly… Qui-Gon did not specify.”

“But… but…” Obi-Wan was conflicted. Yes, sure, Qui-Gon did not mention the exact timeframe in which Anakin’s training was to be conducted. But he could not have meant this? Surely, he would’ve wanted it to commence immediately?

It wasn’t as if he could ask him to clarify _now_ …

“Master Yoda, I can see where you’re coming from—I think—but if Anakin undergoes the Initiate trials, he still runs the risk of… well, failing.”

Yoda huffed at this. “If the Chosen One he is, succeed he will.”

That seemed oddly cruel. Anakin was at the age where he could understand pretty much everything, and Qui-Gon had inflated the boy’s hopes and dreams with assurance of becoming a Jedi. If he did not pass the Initiate trials… that would ruin him. _But_ , said a voice in his head, one which welcomed the idea of not receiving the responsibility of a Padawan so early, _at least he had a chance in the first place._

“What of the Apprentice Tournament?” tried Obi-Wan. “Qui-Gon wanted _me_ to teach the boy. He could still be chosen by someone else.”   


“Once the boy is ready to do the Tournament, ready to be his Master, you shall be. Many years, you have. If meant to be his Master you are, his Master you will become.”

Obi-Wan bowed his head, unsure of what to think. What Master Yoda was saying _did_ make sense. And he felt _relief_. He had time. Time to grow, to learn, to move on.

And yet, he could not shake the feeling that he was disappointing his Master. Is this what Qui-Gon would have wanted? Anakin stuck with the younglings while Obi-Wan took his sweet time to grow into himself as a Knight? To see the galaxy without his Master? To service the Order on his own merit?

Whether Qui-Gon wanted this or not, he did not know. But… it was what Obi-Wan wanted.

“I agree, Master Yoda. This… this will be best.”

The Grandmaster’s eyes seemed to soften, and he laid a hand on Obi-Wan’s shoulder in comfort. “As the Force wills, everything is. Time, you need, Obi-Wan. The boy will still be here.”

“Everything is as the Force wills,” echoed Obi-Wan. Perhaps, this could be good for Anakin as well. Growing up with other children his age. He was only nine years old—most Padawans ranged from twelve to sixteen, Obi-Wan himself was chosen at thirteen. Yes, this would be best for all involved.

Obi-Wan arose from his kneeled position, content with matters, when something came to him. Now, another challenge had presented itself. How was he to break this to Anakin?

Perhaps, he thought wryly, this would be his first test as Jedi Knight.

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment, review, kudo, bookmark! It keeps me going! Thank you for reading!


End file.
